Agastache plant named ‘Danish Delight’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Agastache  plant named ‘Danish Delight’, characterized by its tall and upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; bright green-colored leaves; relatively long inflorescences with numerous large flowers that are bright reddish purple in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Agastache hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DANISH DELIGHT’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Agastache plant, botanically known as Agastache hybrida, commonly referred to as Giant Hyssop and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Danish Delight’.

The new Agastache plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aabybro, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new and unique Agastache plants.

The new Agastache plant originated from a cross-pollination during the summer of 2016 of Agastache hybrida ‘Blue Boa’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,050, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Agastache hybrida, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Agastache plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aabybro, Denmark during the summer of 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings in Aabybro, Denmark since the summer of 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Agastache plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Agastache have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Danish Delight’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Danish Delight’ as a new and distinct Agastache plant:

-   -   1. Tall and upright plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Bright green-colored leaves.     -   4. Relatively long inflorescences with numerous large flowers         that are bright reddish purple in color.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Agastache can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Blue Boa’. Plants of the new Agastache differ primarily from plants of ‘Blue Boa’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Agastache are taller than plants of ‘Blue         Boa’.     -   2. Plants of the new Agastache have bright reddish         purple-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Blue Boa’ have deep         purple blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Agastache can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Agastache differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Agastache have thicker and stronger stems         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Agastache have larger flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Agastache have bright reddish         purple-colored flowers whereas plants of the male parent         selection have blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Agastache can be compared to plants of Agastache hybrida ‘Sangria’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Agastache differ primarily from plants of ‘Sangria’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Agastache are taller than plants of         ‘Sangria’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Agastache are longer and         broader than inflorescences of plants of ‘Sangria’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Agastache are bright reddish         purple in color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Sangria’ are dark         purple in color.     -   4. Plants of the new Agastache are more winter hardy than plants         of ‘Sangria’.

Plants of the new Agastache can also be compared to plants of Agastache mexicana ‘Red Fortune’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,816. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Agastache differ primarily from plants of ‘Red Fortune’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Agastache are taller than plants of ‘Red         Fortune’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Agastache are shorter and         broader than inflorescences of plants of ‘Red Fortune’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Agastache are bright reddish         purple in color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Red Fortune’ are         purple red in color.     -   4. Plants of the new Agastache are more durable than plants of         ‘Red Fortune’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Agastache plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Agastache plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Danish Delight’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Danish Delight’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn in 9-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands and under conditions and cultural practices which approximate those typically used in commercial Agastache plant production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 24° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 15° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Sixth Edition, 2015, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Measurements represent averages for typical flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Agastache hybrida ‘Danish Delight’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Agastache hybrida ‘Blue Boa’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,050.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Agastache hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white to brown in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a container and garden plant; tall and upright plant             habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Basal branching with about three primary             lateral branches developing per plant; pinch will enhance             lateral branch development.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 62.4             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 80.5             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 20.1 cm.         -   Primary branch description.—Length (excluding             inflorescence): About 57.4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 7 cm. Shape: Quadrangular. Strength:             Moderately strong. Aspect: About 10° from vertical;             secondary lateral branches, about 30° from primary branch             axis. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color,             developing: Close to 144B. Color, developed: Close to 146C;             at the ridges, close to 146B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite and decussate; simple.         -   Length.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 5.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to narrowly cordate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Coarsely dentate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely             pubescent; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 197A and             N199A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B and             148B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B;             venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.75 mm by             2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent; matte. Color, upper             surface: Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single bilabiate flowers             arranged on erect and relatively large racemes; freely             flowering habit with about 440 flowers developing per             inflorescence and about 1,320 flowers developing per plant             during the flowering season; flowers face mostly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected; leaves and stems are sweet and             mint-like.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants             begin flowering about ten weeks after planting; plants             flower during the late spring into the summer in an outdoor             environment in The Netherlands; flowers last about ten days             on the plant, flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Oblong to narrowly obovate. Texture and luster:             Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Immature petals and free             sepal apices, close to 53C; immature calyx tube, slightly             lighter than N77B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 11.4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Flower size.—About 4 mm by 8 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.4 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals; two upper petals (upper             lip) with two lateral petals and one lower petal (lower             lip); petals fused proximally. Length: Upper petals: About             1.7 cm. Lateral petals: About 1.4 cm. Lower petal: About             1.6 cm. Width: Upper and lateral petals: About 2 mm. Lower             petal: About 5 mm. Shape: Upper and lateral petals: Narrowly             oblanceolate. Lower petal: Narrowly spatulate to narrowly             oblanceolate. Apex: Upper and lateral petals: Irregularly             obtuse. Lower petal: Retuse to emarginate. Base, all petals:             Lower 75% of petals fuse into a narrow tube. Margin: Upper             petals: Entire; not undulate. Lateral petals: Entire;             slightly undulate. Lower petal: Entire; moderately undulate.             Texture and luster, all petals, upper and lower surfaces:             Densely pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, throat:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, tube: Densely             pubescent; matte. Color, upper and lateral petals: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 73A. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN74C; venation,             close to NN74C; color becoming closer to 67B with             development. Color, lower petal: When opening, upper             surface: Close to NN74C. When opening, lower surface: Close             to NN74B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN74C;             towards the margins, close to NN74B; venation, close to             NN74C and NN74B; with development, color becoming closer to             67A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN74C; venation,             close to NN74C; with development, color becoming closer to             67B and towards the margins, close to 67A. Throat: Close to             NN74C; venation, close to NN74C. Tube, upper side: Close to             N74B; venation, close to N74B. Tube, lower side: Close to             NN74C to NN74D; venation, close to NN74C to NN74D.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused to form a tubular             calyx. Length: About 7.5 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Sepal             length: About 7.5 mm. Sepal width: About 1.5 mm. Sepal             shape: Obovate; 60% of proximal length is fused. Sepal apex:             Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper             (inner) surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Sepal             texture and luster, lower (outer) surface: Densely             pubescent; matte. Sepal color: When opening, upper (inner)             surface: Close to 197C; towards the apex, close to N77B;             venation, close to 197A. When opening, lower (outer)             surface: Slightly lighter than N77B. Fully opened, upper             (inner) surface: Close to 197C; towards the apex, close to             N77B; venation, close to 197A. Fully opened, lower (outer)             surface: Close to 147C; towards the base, close to 145D and             towards the apex, close to N77B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 13.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.75 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture             and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 152B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately weak. Aspect: About 45° from peduncle             axis. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely pubescent;             matte. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to N74D.             Anther shape: Elliptic; dorsifixed. Anther size: About 0.75             mm by 0.75 mm. Anther color: Close to N186A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Stigma diameter:             About 0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft. Stigma color: Close to             70A. Style length: About 2 cm. Style color: Close to N74C.             Ovary color: Close to 147D; towards the apex, close to 184A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Agastache. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Agastache     have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Agastache plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Agastache have exhibited good     garden performance, to tolerate temperatures ranging from −13° C. to     about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 11. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Agastache plant named ‘Danish Delight’ as illustrated and described. 